Investigators may never know why fatal traffic stop was made
Aug. 8—ELWOOD — Officials don't believe they will ever learn why Elwood Police Officer Noah Shahnavaz stopped Carl Roy Web Boards II, the traffic stop that led to the officer's shooting death.
Shahnavaz called dispatch at 2:07 a.m. July 31 to inform that he was making a traffic stop near the intersection of Ind. 37/Ind. 13 and West Madison County Road 1000 North.
The intersection is just to the southwest of where Ind. 13 turns into Anderson Street and leads north into downtown Elwood.
There are two car lots, a bank and another business near the intersection.
In his final dispatch call Shahnavaz said the driver of the white Buick Lacrosse had a gun and then gunshots were heard.
Andrew Hanna, chief deputy with the Madison County Prosecutor's office said Boards, 42, Anderson, had no outstanding warrants at the time and was not on probation after being released from prison in August 2019.
As a convicted felon, Boards was not supposed to be in possession of a firearm.
Boards was arrested in Hamilton County on Interstate 69 by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department and Fishers police within an hour of the shooting of Shahnavaz.
According to the probable cause affidavit at the time of his arrest, Boards was in possession of an AK-47 rifle and a 9mm handgun.
Police also found open beer cans and the drug ecstasy in Boards' vehicle.
The Madison County Prosecutor's office has filed charges against Boards of murder, two felony counts of resisting law enforcement, a felony count of serious violent felon in possession of a handgun and being a habitual offender.
The prosecutor's office has also filed a sentencing recommendation of life without parole.
Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said Boards was armed with an AK-47 with a magazine containing 75 rounds.
Cummings said Boards fired 36 rounds, several shots fired through the windshield of Shahnavaz's patrol car, at least two bullets striking the officer in the head and several gunshot wounds to the body.
Bards' next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. for a pre-trial conference in Madison Circuit Court Division 3.
Boards was sentenced to a 25-year prison term in 2006 for shooting at Indianapolis police officers.
He was released by the Indiana Department of Correction in August 2019.
According to a response to an appeal filed on behalf of Boards, Boards pointed a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun at two Indianapolis police officers who had tried to pull him over for not using a turn signal on Nov. 30, 2006.
The court documents show Boards fired seven times, and three bullets hit one of the officers' squad cars.
His appeal, which was denied, shows two weapons were found in his Suburban: "a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun on the front seat and an AK-47-style assault rifle with a loaded drum magazine on the floor of the driver's side."
Boards was originally charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, three counts of resisting law enforcement, possession of a schedule I controlled substance (ecstasy) and carrying a handgun without a license.
In August 2007, a jury found Boards guilty of criminal recklessness, two counts of resisting law enforcement, possession of ecstasy and carrying a handgun without a license.
He was acquitted on a charge of attempted murder.
Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.
